Cowlitz County, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

505(A) sets a single county-wide front yard rule that applies in all land use districts, including the unzoned district: the minimum is 20 feet from the front property line or 50 feet from the center of the right-of-way or easement of the fronting road, whichever produces the larger setback. On urban arterial roads that distance grows to 55 feet from the road centerline, and on rural arterials it grows to 60 feet. Subsection B lists several exceptions: the setback drops to 10 feet where parking is accessed from the rear of the lot or is recessed at least 20 feet from the property line; a commercial use fronting a half-width right-of-way can go to zero feet if garage doors are not on the facade and a licensed surveyor's plat confirms the front line; open-sided porches, decks, stoops and stairways can project up to 50% into the setback; and architectural features like bay windows and eaves can extend up to 3 feet in. 535 adds 3 feet of side/rear setback for each story above 35 feet in building height.